Day of German Unity in Germany Home Calendar Holidays Germany Day of German Unity Day of German Unity in Germany German Unity Day (Tag der Deutschen Einheit) is annually held on October 3 to mark the anniversary of the nation's unification. It remembers when the Federal Republic of Germany and the Democratic Republic of Germany united to create one single, federal Germany on October 3, 1990. Germany Unity Day is celebrated throughout Germany, including cities such as Berlin (pictured above). Germany Unity Day is celebrated throughout Germany, including cities such as Berlin (pictured above). ©iStockphoto.com/btrenkel Many people have a day off work and big public celebrations are organized. These include: Speeches by politicians and other leaders. Concerts. Food and culture presentations from Germany's regions. Fireworks. The celebrations' atmosphere is festive, welcoming and safe. Each year a different city hosts the national celebrations. Many mosques in Germany are open to the general public on October 3. This is an initiative to stimulate contact between Muslims and non-Muslims and to emphasize the role that Muslims played in forming modern Germany. German Unity Day is the only national holiday in Germany, as all other holidays are administered by the individual states.

Public Life German Unity Day is a public holiday in Germany so post offices, banks and many businesses are closed. Nearly all stores are closed, although a few may be open in some city areas. Bakeries, petrol stations and stores at railway stations, airports and near highways are often open. Public transport services may run as usual, at a reduced service or no service depending on where one lives or intends to travel. There may be some disruption to traffic around large celebrations. Background Following World War II, the area that was Germany was divided into four military sectors controlled by France, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union. On May 23, 1949, the sectors controlled by France, the United Kingdom and the United States became the Federal Republic of Germany. On October 7, 1949, the sector controlled by the Soviet Union became the German Democratic Republic, which in Germany is generally referred to as the DDR (Deutsche Demokratische Republik). The two countries developed very different political and economic systems and, due to the political tensions in post-war Europe, there was little contact between the inhabitants of the two countries. Life in the DDR was characterized by harsh repression against political adversaries.

Thousands of inhabitants were kept under intimate surveillance by the infamous East German secret police, the Stasi (Staatssicherheit). At least 137 people died trying to escape from the DDR. On September 4, 1989 citizens of Leipzig protested peacefully against the DDR government. More so-called “Monday demonstrations” soon took place in other cities across the DDR. The protests called for political reform and to open the borders. On November 9, 1989, the checkpoints between the two countries were opened and people were allowed to travel freely. This date marked the "fall" of the Berlin wall. These events lead to political change. Democratic elections paved the way for unity in the German Democratic Republic on March 18, 1990. The "Treaty of Unification" was signed by both countries' leaders in August that year. Finally, Germany's unification became official on October 3, 1990. Symbols The Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin wall were two important symbols of Germany's division following World War II and Berlin's and Germany's unification in 1990. Images of the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin wall's destruction are often displayed on German Unity Day.

The German unification treaty also symbolizes the day and its meaning. Germany's flag is displayed, particularly on public buildings, on German Unity Day. This flag is three units high and five units wide and is divided horizontally into thirds. The top third is jet black, the middle third traffic red and the bottom third is gold. Together these colors represent the freedom of Germany as a whole and each of its people. In the past, the colors represented: the darkness of servitude (black); bloody conflict (red); and the light of freedom (gold). Day of German Unity Observances Select another year-range: How October 3rd became German Unity Day – Die Vereinigte Republik How October 3rd became German Unity Day Posted on by Nick In October 3rd, Germany celebrates 25 years since reunification. But by that date in 1990, the cogs of reform had already been turning for quite some time. The Local looks at just what happened during this momentous year – from the night the Wall fell to the day two countries truly became one.

November 9th, 1989 At around 7pm on this November evening, East German official Günter Schabowski addressed journalists at a press conference which would later become world famous. The East German government had revised one of its new travel laws. German Democratic Republic (GDR) citizens could now travel to West Berlin without having to meet the former strict requirements. Upon being asked when this would happen, he looked down at his sheet. “As far as I know… effective immediately, without delay.” Hearing the news in near-disbelief, thousands of East Berliners nonetheless flocked towards the Wall. The numbers swamped border guards – and at 11.30 pm, Stasi officer Harald Jäger was forced to open the Bornholmer Strasse crossing, allowing citizens into West Berlin. After 28 years, the Berlin Wall had fallen. November 28th, 1989 West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl announced his ten point plan for “Overcoming the division of Germany and Europe.” East Germany’s economy was in crisis by this point, explained Dr Stefan Bollinger, Professor of Political and Social Science at Berlin’s Free University.

“In the autumn of 1989, most people wanted to change the model of socialism” that governed the GDR, he told The Local. West Germany and the USA “saw this chance and they used it,” he said. Kohl was reluctant to see “a reformed eastern bloc, or a democratic-socialist GDR, whose reforms [the West] would have to support economically” – so he laid down a clear set of aims for the GDR and its union with the Federal Republic. “The basis was clear,” Bollinger explained. “The SED [Socialist Unity Party of Germany] would have to relinquish its power, and the GDR would be moved in the direction of capitalism.” “Only then was Bonn [the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany at the time] prepared to help.” February 10th, 1990 Kohl travelled to the Soviet Union to personally meet with Mikhail Gorbachev. “The journey to Moscow took place at a time when Gorbachev no longer commanded a spirit of reform, either in his own country or in the Eastern Bloc,” said Bollinger. Kohl wanted to confirm that the USSR would allow German reunification to proceed.

March 18th, 1990 The first free elections took place in the GDR. The ruling SED government was overwhelmingly defeated by an East German counterpart of Kohl’s Christian Democratic Union party (CDU). This election and changeover of power was “one of the most important stages” in the reunification process, said Dr Arnd Bauerkämper, Professor of Historical and Cultural Science at Berlin’s Free University. April 12th, 1990 The GDR People’s Chamber elected Lothar de Maizière as Prime Minister of East Germany. Leader of the East German CDU, de Maizière supported rapid reunification with West Germany. He would be the first – and the last – democratically elected Prime Minister of the GDR. April 27th, 1990 Discussions began on the economic and currency union of the two German states. These were led by GDR State Secretary Günther Krause and Hans Tietmeyer, director of the German Central Bank. The question: should East Germany adopt the Deutsche Mark or stick with its own currency, the Ostmark?

Both currencies had been introduced in 1948, after the abolishment of the Reichsmark and the Rentenmark. But by 1989, inflation had left the Ostmark practically worthless outside East Germany. May 2nd, 1990 After much debate, Bonn and East Berlin came to an agreement on a 1-1 currency conversion for wages, prices and basic savings. Most citizens could exchange their Ostmarks directly for Deutsche Marks, up to a value of 4,000 Marks (less for children and more for pensioners). Any savings above 4,000 Marks would be converted at a 2-1 rate. Meanwhile, so-called “speculative money” – money acquired shortly before reunification – was converted at a rate of 3-1. May 5th, 1990 Talks began on the Two-Plus-Four treaty. The UK, USA, Soviet Union and France joined the two German states in negotiations about how foreign policy and security policy would be dealt with during reunification. The aim: to reduce the treaty’s members from six to five, by allowing the GDR to dissolve by mutual consent.

May 18th, 1990 The Federal Republic and the GDR signed a treaty agreeing to an economic, currency and social union between the two states. Kohl labeled this the “hour of birth for a free and united Germany.” As part of the treaty, plans began to separate East Germany into its five former states: Brandenburg, Saxony, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia and Mecklenburg Western Pomerania. These states had been abolished during the GDR era, in favour of a centralised East German administration. July 1st 1990 As the Deutschmark officially replaced the Ostmark in East German currency, the two states’ economic and monetary union was cemented. The currency union was “an important step towards national and political unity,” said Bauerkämper. “It was an economic reunification, but also a symbol for political reunification,” he told The Local. July 6th, 1990 Consultations began in East Berlin about a second treaty – the German Reunification Treaty.

This was an agreement between West Germany and the GDR, and laid out the expectations for the unification: East Germany would adopt the Basic Law of the Federal Republic; the GDR would be abolished and re-divided into five states; and Berlin would be reunified and reinstated as Germany’s capital. July 16th, 1990 After close talks in the Caucasus Mountains, Kohl and Gorbachev announced that they had come to an agreement on Germany’s NATO membership. Germany would remain in NATO, but Soviet troops would have to leave the country. It was “an important concession from Gorbachev,” Bauerkämper explained. August 23rd, 1990 The People’s Chamber settled on a date for Germany’s official reunification: October 3rd. The day’s decision “sealed the fate of the GDR,” Professor Schroeder, head of research into the East German Socialist Unity Party (SED) state at Berlin’s Free University, told The Local. Until now, the GDR had been in “a state in freefall,” having thrown off its old laws but not yet adopted the new ones, said Stefan Wolle, Academic Director at Berlin’s DDR Museum.

The decision to join West Germany on October 3rd “put an end to this period of cheerful anarchy,” he told The Local. August 31st, 1990 The German Reunification Treaty was signed in East Germany, to go into effect under international law on September 29th. It was approved by the Bundestag and the People’s Chamber on September 20th, with a two-thirds majority. September 12th, 1990 Representatives from the UK, USA, Soviet Union and France met in Moscow to sign the “Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany.” The Allied Forces renounced all rights and responsibilities in Germany, allowing it to become a full sovereign state after reunification. October 3rd, 1990 On the stroke of midnight, and to the sound of the German national anthem, the German flag was raised in front of the Reichstag building. In the streets of Berlin and other German cities, hundreds of thousands of people celebrated Germany’s reunification.

Share this: How October 3rd became German Unity Day - The Local How October 3rd became German Unity Day The Local 1 October 2015 14:26 CEST+02:00 On October 3rd, Germany celebrates 25 years since reunification. But by that date in 1990, the cogs of reform had already been turning for quite some time. The Local looks at just what happened during this momentous year - from the night the Wall fell to the day two countries truly became one. November 9th, 1989 At around 7pm on this November evening, East German official Günter Schabowski addressed journalists at a press conference which would later become world famous. The East German government had revised one of its new travel laws. German Democratic Republic (GDR) citizens could now travel to West Berlin without having to meet the former strict requirements. Upon being asked when this would happen, he looked down at his sheet. "As far as I know... effective immediately, without delay." Hearing the news in near-disbelief, thousands of East Berliners nonetheless flocked towards the Wall.

The numbers swamped border guards – and at 11.30 pm, Stasi officer Harald Jäger was forced to open the Bornholmer Strasse crossing , allowing citizens into West Berlin. After 28 years, the Berlin Wall had fallen. People celebrate atop the Berlin Wall on November 11th 1989, two days after its fall. Photo: DPA November 28th, 1989 West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl announced his ten point plan for "Overcoming the division of Germany and Europe." East Germany's economy was in crisis by this point, explained Dr Stefan Bollinger, Professor of Political and Social Science at Berlin's Free University. "In the autumn of 1989, most people wanted to change the model of socialism" that governed the GDR, he told The Local. West Germany and the USA "saw this chance and they used it," he said. Kohl was reluctant to see "a reformed eastern bloc, or a democratic-socialist GDR, whose reforms [the West] would have to support economically" - so he laid down a clear set of aims for the GDR and its union with the Federal Republic.

"The basis was clear," Bollinger explained. "The SED [Socialist Unity Party of Germany] would have to relinquish its power, and the GDR would be moved in the direction of capitalism." "Only then was Bonn [the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany at the time] prepared to help." February 10th, 1990 Kohl travelled to the Soviet Union to personally meet with Mikhail Gorbachev. "The journey to Moscow took place at a time when Gorbachev no longer commanded a spirit of reform, either in his own country or in the Eastern Bloc," said Bollinger. Kohl wanted to confirm that the USSR would allow German reunification to proceed. March 18th, 1990 The first free elections took place in the GDR. The ruling SED government was overwhelmingly defeated by an East German counterpart of Kohl's Christian Democratic Union party (CDU). This election and changeover of power was "one of the most important stages" in the reunification process, said Dr Arnd Bauerkämper, Professor of Historical and Cultural Science at Berlin's Free University.

CDU leader Lothar de Maizière after his party's victory on March 18th 1990. Photo: DPA April 12th, 1990 The GDR People's Chamber elected Lothar de Maizière as Prime Minister of East Germany. Leader of the East German CDU, de Maizière supported rapid reunification with West Germany. He would be the first – and the last – democratically elected Prime Minister of the GDR. April 27th, 1990 Discussions began on the economic and currency union of the two German states. These were led by GDR State Secretary Günther Krause and Hans Tietmeyer, director of the German Central Bank. The question: should East Germany adopt the Deutsche Mark or stick with its own currency, the Ostmark? Both currencies had been introduced in 1948, after the abolishment of the Reichsmark and the Rentenmark. But by 1989, inflation had left the Ostmark practically worthless outside East Germany.

May 2nd, 1990 After much debate, Bonn and East Berlin came to an agreement on a 1-1 currency conversion for wages, prices and basic savings. Most citizens could exchange their Ostmarks directly for Deutsche Marks, up to a value of 4,000 Marks (less for children and more for pensioners). Any savings above 4,000 Marks would be converted at a 2-1 rate. Meanwhile, so-called "speculative money" - money acquired shortly before reunification - was converted at a rate of 3-1. A controversial decision: demonstrators in Leipzig argue: "yes to a currency union, no to an unfair conversion of our savings" in February 1990. Photo: DPA May 5th, 1990 Talks began on the Two-Plus-Four treaty. The UK, USA, Soviet Union and France joined the two German states in negotiations about how foreign policy and security policy would be dealt with during reunification. The aim: to reduce the treaty's members from six to five, by allowing the GDR to dissolve by mutual consent.

May 18th, 1990 The Federal Republic and the GDR signed a treaty agreeing to an economic, currency and social union between the two states. Kohl labeled this the "hour of birth for a free and united Germany." As part of the treaty, plans began to separate East Germany into its five former states: Brandenburg, Saxony, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia and Mecklenburg Western Pomerania. These states had been abolished during the GDR era, in favour of a centralised East German administration. July 1st 1990 As the Deutschmark officially replaced the Ostmark in East German currency, the two states' economic and monetary union was cemented. The currency union was "an important step towards national and political unity," said Bauerkämper. "It was an economic reunification, but also a symbol for political reunification," he told The Local. Around 2.6 billion Deutsche Marks were handed out to GDR citizens in the hours after monetary unification, according to estimates. As citizens stormed the East German Deutsche Bank, many were injured. Photo: DPA.

July 6th, 1990 Consultations began in East Berlin about a second treaty – the German Reunification Treaty. This was an agreement between West Germany and the GDR, and laid out the expectations for the unification: East Germany would adopt the Basic Law of the Federal Republic; the GDR would be abolished and re-divided into five states; and Berlin would be reunified and reinstated as Germany's capital. July 16th, 1990 After close talks in the Caucasus Mountains, Kohl and Gorbachev announced that they had come to an agreement on Germany's NATO membership. Germany would remain in NATO, but Soviet troops would have to leave the country. It was "an important concession from Gorbachev," Bauerkämper explained. Helmut Kohl and Mikhail Gorbachev. Photo: DPA August 23rd, 1990 The People's Chamber settled on a date for Germany's official reunification: October 3rd. The day's decision "sealed the fate of the GDR," Professor Schroeder, head of research into the East German Socialist Unity Party (SED) state at Berlin's Free University, told The Local.

Until now, the GDR had been in "a state in freefall," having thrown off its old laws but not yet adopted the new ones, said Stefan Wolle, Academic Director at Berlin's DDR Museum. The decision to join West Germany on October 3rd "put an end to this period of cheerful anarchy," he told The Local. SEE ALSO: The day that 'sealed East Germany's fate' August 31st, 1990 The German Reunification Treaty was signed in East Germany, to go into effect under international law on September 29th. It was approved by the Bundestag and the People's Chamber on September 20th, with a two-thirds majority. September 12th, 1990 Representatives from the UK, USA, Soviet Union and France met in Moscow to sign the "Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany." The Allied Forces renounced all rights and responsibilities in Germany, allowing it to become a full sovereign state after reunification.

(L-R) French Foregn Minister Roland Dumas, Soviet Foreign Affairs Minister Eduard Schewardnadse, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, USA Secretary of State James Baker, West German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, GDR Prime Minister Lothar de Maiziere and UK Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd after the signing of the treaty. Photo: DPA October 3rd, 1990 On the stroke of midnight, and to the sound of the German national anthem, the German flag was raised in front of the Reichstag building. In the streets of Berlin and other German cities, hundreds of thousands of people celebrated Germany's reunification. On the night between October 2nd and 3rd 1990, Germany celebrated reunification. Photo: DPA By Hannah Butler When is Germany Unity Day in 2014? When is German Unity Day in 2014? The date of German Unity Day in 2014 is on Friday, October 3rd. What is German Unity Day? German Unity Day, also referred to as the Day of German Unity, is the national day of Germany that celebrates the reunification of Germany in 1990.

The goal of a united Germany originated in the 19th century and was finally attained in 1990 when the Federal Republic of Germany and the Democratic Republic of Germany united as one. German Unity Day is celebrated on October 3rd of every year and is a a legal holiday within the Federal Republic of Germany. In German, this holiday is called the "Tag der Deutschen Einheit." How to celebrate German Unity Day nationwide - The Local How to celebrate German Unity Day nationwide The Local Berliners celebrate the very first German Unity Day on October 3rd 1990. Photo: DPA. The Local 2 October 2015 12:30 CEST+02:00 Saturday October 3rd marks 25 years since Germany officially reunited into one country at the end of the Cold War. As millions prepare to celebrate the big anniversary, The Local brings you a run-down of where the major celebrations are taking place to ring in the Day of German Unity. October 3rd 1990 was the first German Unity Day to mark the reunification of East and West Germany at the end of the Cold War.

Though Germans aren’t known to celebrate the day with gaudy displays of patriotism, various cities are commemorating the holiday with music, art and more. Here’s a look at what to expect. When: October 2nd at 3pm to October 4th Photo: DPA. Frankfurt is actually the place to be to celebrate reunification this year, with Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Joachim Gauck, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and even European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in attendance. Why, you might ask? It’s a tradition that each year since 1990, the major national celebration takes place in the state of the sitting president of the Bundesrat (the upper house of the German parliament). Since the current president, Volker Bouffier, is from Hesse, the big party is taking place in the state’s largest city, Frankfurt. The festivities in Germany’s financial hub will swing into action on Friday, with a concert by Frankfurt singer Namika, followed by a performance by German rapper CRO. Merkel and Gauck will take the stage at about noon on Saturday to greet the anticipated one million visitors and officially mark 25 years since Germany became one again.

Those in attendance will also get to hear stories from Michael Schlosser, who built an aeroplane to try to escape from former East Germany to the West. More concerts will follow on Saturday, in particular from German pop singer Sarah Connor. The music will continue through Sunday evening, including big band style and folk music. When: October 2nd at 10am until October 4th Berliners celebrate the very first German Unity Day on October 3rd 1990. Photo: DPA. The German capital is perhaps one of the most visible reminders of the country’s Cold War past, where reunification meant the end of a divided city once and for all. The iconic Brandenburg Gate is a significant part of this history - the Berlin Wall once ran alongside the monument and it’s where Ronald Reagan delivered his famous speech declaring “ Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall !” So it is no surprise that the focal point of this year’s celebration will be the Gate, kicking off on Friday free concerts performing “20 years of top hits”.

On German Unity Day itself, the street fest will continue with more parades, concerts, karaoke and beer gardens, ending on Sunday with German Schlager music, including Olaf Henning and Ute Freudenberg. Leipzig residents in 2010 remember the Monday demonstration of October 9th 1989 that helped rally support for bringing down the Berlin Wall. Photo: DPA. Where: Marktplatz When: October 3rd from 11am Leipzig was the start of the peaceful Monday demonstrations against the East Germany regime, putting pressure on the government to ultimately bring down the Berlin Wall. The city is celebrating this year under the theme of "Unity in Diversity" as part of a week-long series of cultural events until Sunday. October 3rd kicks off with musical and dance performances by swing, jazz, Ukrainian, Jewish, Roma, Latin and Greek groups. Churches, like the Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas Church) where the Monday demonstrations took root, are also hosting events throughout the day. And there will be discussion sessions about current topics like refugees and integration.

Where: Marktplatz When: October 3rd and 4th from 11am Hanover is celebrating 25 years of German unity along with its Fall Festival, which features jazz and swing music, as well as a flea market and special German Unity event at the town hall. People in Bonn celebrate in 2011, when the city hosted the national German Unity day celebrations. Photo: DPA. Where: Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (House of the German Republic’s History) When: October 3rd at 10.30am As the former provisional capital of West Germany during the time of the Iron Curtain, Bonn represents the site where many important decisions happened that led to eventual reunification - and the city’s eventual unseating as capital to Berlin. While the main parties are taking place in Frankfurt and Berlin, Bonn is throwing a more low-key bash with a Museum Fest to celebrate unity. There will be free exhibits, a discussion session where people can share their memories about October 3rd and a concert at 6pm.

Where: Hafen Reisholz and Johanneskirche When: October 3rd from 4pm at Hafen Reisholz, 6pm at Johanneskirche A couple of smaller events are happening in Düsseldorf with the opening of an art exhibit about 25 years of German Unity and connections to the current refugee crisis, as well as a multi-faith service at Johanneskirche. Germany Celebrates 22 Years of German Unity Day Today | CaliforniaGermans Germany Celebrates 22 Years of German Unity Day Today Posted on October 3, 2012 by German Pulse | 1 Comment German Unity Day is a national holiday in Germany, celebrated October 3rd, to commemorate the nation’s unification, when the Federal Republic of Germany and the Democratic Republic of Germany united to create one single federal Germany in 1990.

German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) took place twice after 1945: first in 1957, when the Saarland was permitted to join the Federal Republic of Germany and again on October 3, 1990, when the five re-established states of the German Democratic Republic (GDR / East Germany) joined the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG / West Germany). Berlin was also united into a single city-state. It was at this point that the unification process was commonly referred to as die Wende (The Turning Point) by citizens of the GDR. Die Wende marks the change from socialism to democracy and capitalism in East Germany around the years 1989 and 1990. The end of the unification process is officially referred to as German Unity (Deutsche Einheit). There is some debate as to whether the events of 1990 should be properly referred to as a “reunification” or a “unification”. Many say that the initial unification of Germany occurred on January 18, 1871 at the Versailles Palace’s Hall of Mirrors.

Princes of the German states gathered there to proclaim Wilhelm of Prussia as Emperor of the German Empire. Others feel that “reunification” is deeply affected by the November 9, 1989 opening of the Berlin Wall, when the checkpoints between the two countries were opened and people were allowed to travel freely. This date marked the “fall” of the Berlin wall and the physical reunification of the city of Berlin which had been divided since 1945. Others, however, argue that 1990 represented a “unification” of two German states into a larger entity. For political and diplomatic reasons, West German politicians use the term “Deutsche Einheit” (German unity) carefully avoided the term “reunification”. German unity is the term that Hans-Dietrich Genscher used in front of international journalists to correct them when they asked him about “reunification” in 1990. On August 23rd, 1990, the new parliament of East Germany voted to approve accession with West Germany and the “Treaty of Unification” was signed by both countries’ leaders. Germany was officially united on October 3, 1990.

West Germany consisted of ten states, now referred to as the Old Länder, (Alte Bundesländer) plus West Berlin. The five New Länder states, re-established federal states of East Germany – Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, which had been abolished by East Germany in 1952 – formally joined the Federal Republic of Germany. The Land Berlin is not considered one of the New Länder, since West Berlin expanded throughout the whole city resulting in the dissolution of East Berlin. The Berlin wall and the Brandenburg Gate were two important symbols of Germany’s division following World War II and their unification in 1990. Images of the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin wall’s destruction are often displayed on German Unity Day. October 3rd is the official German national holiday, the Day of German Unity (Tag der Deutschen Einheit), commemorating the day that marks the unification of the former East and West Germany in 1990. Unity Day celebrations are hosted each year by whichever of Germany’s 16 regional states holds the presidency in the upper house of parliament.

Photo by Peer Grimm via German Federal Archives Germans celebrate reunification | Article | The United States Army Share via Email 1 / 1 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The German Infantry liaison officer's house was decorated with balloons and flags for the German Unity Day anniversary event Oct. 12. (Photo Credit: John D. Helms/MCoE Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL FORT BENNING, Ga. - Post leaders came together Tuesday evening to celebrate German Unity Day, marking the 20th anniversary of the nation's reunification. Known by Germans as "Tag der Deutschen Einheit," the event commemorates the treaty between West and East Germany that went into effect Oct. 3, 1990, the day both countries officially became one again after the Berlin Wall was torn down a year earlier. It's a national holiday in Germany. Fort Benning's observance took place at the on-post residence of Lt. Col. Frank Schuster, the German Infantry liaison officer, and his wife, Regina. The reception included traditional German food, beer and champagne. "It is not important when we celebrate German Unity Day ... because it's just very important to celebrate it," Lt. Col. Schuster said.

"Twenty years later, we are all very proud to be German - it doesn't matter to be on the East or West part. A lot of things have been changed ... but we're all happy to be one. "It's the same as in the Army - doesn't matter if it's the German or U.S. Army - we are one unit and one team. And the same is with Germany." He told the gathering how his father, a former journalist, had been on the eastern side of Berlin picking up photographs the day the Wall was built in 1961, but managed to make it back to the western part "at the right moment." Two years later, Lt. Col. Schuster was born. Sgt. Maj. Frank Zindel, the NCO representative at the German Armor liaison office, said he grew up in the middle part of West Germany, about 15 miles from a fence bordering the East. People could gaze over and see East Germany, but no one could visit without a special visa. It was a "dangerous time" as tensions were always high between the two sides, he said, recalling how armed guards, surveillance systems and minefields sat just across the East border.

Over there, mistrust and suspicion became a part of life. The sergeant major said people would occasionally discover that a good friend or relative was actually working for "the Stasi," the name given to East Germany's security machine. "I only knew there was a fence - they are East part, we are West part," he said. "(Reunification) came so suddenly. ...I never thought I'd see it. It surprised everybody how fast it happened." Economic conditions in the former East Germany were severely depressed, Sgt. Maj. Zindel said. People didn't have the same democracy or freedoms enjoyed in the West and the living standard was far lower. He said much has changed. "You can really see the development now," he said. "Twenty years ago, it was like gray and color (between East and West Germany)." At Tuesday's celebration, a small contingent from the Maneuver Center of Excellence Band played the U.S. and German national anthems. Lt. Col. Schuster praised the strong ties between the two allies. "The U.S. helped Germany become the nation it is today," he said.

SGM Bernd Rabenstein of the German Infantry liaison office said he believes German Unity Day is the most significant milestone in the country's history. "For my father, this day was more important than the end of (World War II)," he said. "A lot of us and our parents lived through that separation. Reunification was talked about a lot, but no one ever thought it would happen." THE ROOTS OF GERMAN UNITY DAY "Tag der Deutschen Einheit," which means "The Day of German Unity," is the national day of Germany, celebrated Oct. 3 each year as a public holiday. It commemorates the anniversary of German reunification in 1990. Reunification was the method in which East Germany's German Democratic Republic and Berlin, reunited into a single city, joined West Germany's Federal Republic of Germany, as provided by its then-Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. Germans commonly refer to the start of this process as "die Wende," or "The Turning Point." The end of unification is officially called German unity. The East German regime began to falter in May 1989, when removal of Hungary's border fence opened a hole in the Iron Curtain.

It caused an exodus of thousands of East Germans fleeing to West Germany and Austria via Hungary. The Peaceful Revolution, a series of protests by East Germans, led to the GDR's first free elections on March 18, 1990, and to negotiations between the GDR and FRG that culminated in a Unification Treaty. Meanwhile, negotiations between the GDR and FRG and the four occupying powers produced the so-called "Two Plus Four Treaty" (Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany), granting full sovereignty to a unified German state, whose two halves had previously been bound by a number of limitations stemming from their post-World War II status as occupied regions. The united Germany remained a member of the European Community - later the European Union - and NATO. On May 18, 1990, the two German states signed a pact agreeing on a monetary, economic and social union. It took effect July 1, 1990, with the Deutsche mark replacing the East German mark as the official currency of East Germany. While the GDR transferred its financial policy sovereignty to West Germany, the West started granting subsidies for the GDR budget and social security system.

At the same time, many West German laws were adopted in the GDR. This created a suitable framework for a political alliance by diminishing the huge gap between the two existing political, social and economic systems. A reunification treaty between West Germany and the GDR was negotiated in mid-1990, signed Aug. 31 that year and finally approved by large majorities in the legislative chambers of both countries on Sept. 20. After that last step, Germany was officially united when the clock struck midnight on Oct. 3. RELATED LINKS

Question: In which country is Unity Day celebrated on October 3rd?
Answer: Germany